PASADENA, TX — Former Pasadena Police Chief Jerry Wright says a disciplinary record tied to former Sgt. Michael Palitz was changed after Wright retired, turning an indefinite suspension recommendation into a 30-day suspension in a later version released by the department.
Wright said the document he submitted to civil service on March 7, 2025, is authentic and matches an unredacted copy recently reviewed by KPRC 2 News. He said the version Pasadena police later provided in response to a public records request does not reflect what he filed. Pasadena police did not respond by Friday’s deadline to questions about whether the records were altered, replaced or modified.
The dispute is separate from the investigation that later led to Palitz’s resignation and surrender of his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement license. That surrender means he cannot hold a TCOLE-licensed law enforcement job in Texas.
What Wright Says Happened
Wright said he did not make the suspension recommendation lightly. He told KPRC 2 News that after the investigation was completed, an indefinite suspension was warranted based on the conduct described in the file…